“You are joining a wonderful profession, which will give you amazing experiences and opportunities. It certainly has its challenges, and these will stretch you and keep you learning and developing. But you will make a significant difference to the lives of others, and that is energising and rewarding.

“There are many brilliant books on education, but if I could recommend one for you to read as you embark on the journey, it would be The Confident Teacher by Alex Quigley. Building your confidence will be key in the years ahead. You can also listen to Alex talk about metacognition on this Tes podcast.

“Keep an eye on education blogs and articles, too -  they’re quick to read and often very useful.

“My advice to you is to be kind to yourself. The work is never completed, so you need to decide when to stop, rest and refresh. If you find the job tough at times, don’t give yourself a hard time. Just reflect, learn, adapt and keep moving forward. Good luck!”

‘Take care of yourself’

Angela Browne, ex-headteacher and leadership coach

“It is so wonderful to welcome you to this amazing profession. I remember this period of time so keenly and am so excited for the journey that you are about to embark upon.

“I’m all about nourishment and I believe that the best way of taking care of doing a good job is to take care of yourself. My TED Talk explains what this means.”

‘Make use of subject associations’

Andy Connell, chair of the UK Council for Subject Associations

“Congratulations on becoming an NQT and welcome to the most exciting and important profession of them all. You will never cease to be amazed by what learners can do. 

“I would strongly recommend joining a subject association, whose members have hundreds of years of collective experience and expertise in all age groups to share with you. I therefore recommend you look at the Council for Subject Associations Directory and join.”

‘Don’t expect to get everything done’

Mark Enser, head of geography and research lead at Heathfield Community College, Tes columnist and author

“Welcome to the profession to all our NQTs. It is a brilliant job and I am sure you are going to love it. If I could recommend just one book, it would, of course, be my own. Why write it if you don’t think people should read it? Teach Like Nobody’s Watching is a guide to being free to teach simply, as you would if no one was looking over your shoulder.

“My one piece of advice for anyone coming into teaching would be to remember that the job will fill any time you allow it. Be really firm on when you are willing and able to work and then prioritise within that time. You will never get everything done because the job is infinite.”

‘Always remember why you came into teaching’

Sean Harford, national director of education at Ofsted

“This is a great time to be an NQT; but then, it’s always a great time to be an NQT. Welcome to what I am sure will be a lifetime’s fascination for you with education.
 
“My one piece of advice for anyone coming into teaching would be to always remember why you have come into the profession. If you hold on to that reason, you will be able to put into perspective a lot of what is asked of you and decide wisely what actions to take.

“Oh, and don’t worry about inspection, but do read the ”Clarification for Schools” section of the inspection handbook, which will help discount the myths that abound.”

‘Marking can lead to burnout’

Carl Hendrick and Robin MacPherson, teachers and authors

“Welcome to teaching! It’s an incredible job and one that you could never get bored of. For a really good start to your NQT year, we both suggest you should read our book, What Does this Look Like in the Classroom? Bridging the gap between research and practice.

Hendrick: “I’d recommend looking at the chapter on marking and assessment with Dylan Wiliam and Daisy Christodoulou. For new teachers, marking is the thing that can lead to burnout quicker than anything else. As Dylan says: feedback should be more work for the recipient than the donor. In other words, if you are working harder than the students then something has gone wrong.”

MacPherson: “I’d recommend the chapter on behaviour, as this is so crucial for all teachers, but is especially challenging in your first year. Jill [Berry] and Tom [Bennett] provide a nice balance and they offer a lot of practical advice.”

‘If you can’t manage behaviour, it will manage you’

Doug Lemov, author of Teach Like a Champion

“You didn’t take the job because you relished managing behaviour, but if you can’t manage behaviour, it will manage you. The most important thing to remember is that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

“Read technique number 51 in Teach Like a Champion, which is to be ‘on radar’ and be seen looking. Students pay attention to what you notice. If you show them that you see and care about what they do, you will eliminate grey areas and opportunistic behaviours.

“Perhaps strive to recall this perfect reminder from Jo Facer as well: ‘Having strict rules means you love children and want the best for them. Make sure you communicate that with your face and body language.’ Smile, in other words. Even (or perhaps especially) when you’re setting expectations.”

Listen to Jo Facer discuss behaviour on the Tes podcast here.

‘Look at how students learn’